Device



J. C. BACKUS.

BOWLING PIN SETTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7. 1919.

1,319,035. Patented 001;. 21,1919.

I 2 SHEETS-SHEET I. Z.

E re/v ro v ZQcku S 1. C. BACKUS.

BOWLING PIN S EUINGJEVKCE APPLlCATION FILED APR. 7. r919 Patented Oct.21, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Avrzzvrog J T/ Q c4475 Kay UNITED sTA s PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CLAYTON BACKU'S, OF SMETHPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOWLING-PIN-SETTING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 7, 1919. Serial No. 288,032.

which have suffered injury or disarrangement must be removed and newones substituted therefor. In my patented structures this replacementcould only be effected by removing a number of screws which secure thefixed member of the hinge to the frame or platform and the reattachmentof a complete new positioning unit or of the disconnection from thehinge member of the supporting arms for the block and the shown in myprior Patents No. 7 1,963 is sued October 11, 1904 and No. 821,27 6issued May 22, 190-6. v

The patented'devices as well as the improved device are characterized byposi-- tioning blocks-arranged about openings ..in the platform or frameof the device and which blocks are designed to engage the sides of pinsdisposed within said openings so as to accurately center the pins upontheir respective alley' spots, the blocks being yieldably held in. an'inward direction .by means of springs and beingsupported by arms hingedto'attaching members upon. the under side of the frame or platform. Thisparticular' type of pin setting device depends for accuracy in theperformance of its funct1ons,- upon the accurate swinging upon theirhinge connections, of the arms which support the positioning blocks forif these hinge connections become even slightly disarranged or distortedor if they become loose, the corresponding pin or pins will not beaccurately set upon their spots and repairs then become necessary. Thisdisarrangement is liable to occur more or less frequently from severalcauses. The attendant may carelessly lower the frame or platform ontodead Wood causing a distortion or breakage of such of the positioningblocks as come into engagement with the fallen pins constituting thedeadwood a bowler may deliver the ball before the frame or platform has beenelevated clear of the alley thus causing the ball to strike one or moreof the positioning blocks causing similar damage; or, the hingeconnections may become worn after the device has been used for aconsiderable period of time. In any event whenever from any cause thereis a disarrangement of any one or more of the positioning blocks or thehinges for the same, the entire device becomes temporarily useless andthe particular block or blocks substitution ofa new block by connectingits said supporting arms with the said hinge member. To make this repairnecessitates the temporary shutting down of the alley which is, ofcourse, disconcerting and annoying to the bowlers and means a loss offncome to the proprietor. In consideration of the foregoing it is theprimary object of the present invention to provide a hinge connectionbetween the frame or platform of the device andthe positioning blockwhich will permit of the. removal of any individualblock and'thereplacement of a new one in'a moments time and without the necessity ofloosening any screws or other fastening devices or employing any toolswhatsoever. Thus when any block becomes damaged it may be almostinstantly removed and a new one put in its place. Thus with my improveddevice the replacement of one or even several of the positioning blockswill not act to delay the bowlers for any longer period of time thanwould ordinarily be consumed in the setting of the pins by hand.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating in a general way the arrangement ofthe units of the device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the positioning devicesillustrating the same in full lines in lowered position and in dottedlines in partly elevated position:

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the positioning devices invertedso as to better show the hinge connection embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 is a group perspective view illustrating the parts. of one of thedevices disconnected.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates in general the frame orplatform of the device which may be of any desired construction andwhich is formed-with pin receiving openings 2 arranged in the relativepositions Patented'Oct. 21, 1919.

which the pins are to assume when properly spotted upon the alley. Asuitable number of the positioning devices embodying the invention arearranged about each of these openings so that the blocks of the saiddevices will engage the sides of pins thrown or placed within theopenings. The improved device includes a positioning block indicated bythe numeral 3 and formed with a concave face 4 to enga e the side of thepin to be positioned, this block being of the same form as the blocksdisclosed in my said prior patents.- Secured to the opposite sides ofeach block near the upper end are supporting arms 5 and these armsproject beyond the outer face of the block as in the patented structuresand constitute hinge members as in the patented structures. For apurpose to be presently exlained each arm 5 is formed in itsextremltywith a relatively deep notch 6 and in its lower edge inwardlyof its extremity with a notch 7 having an abrupt wall 8 forming ashoulder extending substantially at right angles to the lower edge ofthearm.

The other member of the hinge and with which member the arms 5 aredetachably connected comprises an attaching plate 9 which is permanentlysecured in any suitable manner to the under side of the frame or latform1 as clearly shown in Fig. 2 o the drawings. This plate 9 at its sidewhich is located next adjacent the respective opening 2, is formed witha depending flange 1O having lateral stop shoulders 11 engageable by thearms 5 so as to limit the downward swingin movement of the said arms. Apintle pin 12 is fitted permanently at its ends in openings in ears 13formed to project below the under face of the attaching plate 9 and thispin is of such diameter asto seat within the notches 6 in the arms 5when the arms are disposed at their extremities opposite the endportions of the pintle pin and are shifted transversely of the axis ofthe pin. Springs 14: are coiled at their intermediate portions about theend portions of the pintle pin 12, one end 15 of each spring engagingagainst the under side of the attaching plate 9 and the other end 16 ofeach I spring, which end is located next adjacent the respective arm 5,being extended beneath the plate 9 in the direction of the flange 10 andbeing formed with a hooked extremity 17, the hooked extremities beingturned outwardly laterally. l/Vhen the arms 5 are disconnected from thepintle pin 12, the ends 16 of the springs will bear against the underface of the said plate 9 due to the resiliency and tension of thesprings. In proportioning the parts the distance between the inner endsof the notches 6 and the walls 8 of the notches 7 is substantially equalto the lengths of the ends 16 of the springs so that as a result, inassembling the parts, when the arms 6 are engaged at their extremitieswith the pintle pin so that the pin isreceived within the inner ends ofthe notches 6, the ends 16 of the springs may be sprung away from theplate 9 and their extremities 17 engaged in the notches 7 in the saidarms and behind the walls 8 of the said notches.

Due to the proportioning of the parts the arms 5 will be positively heldby the springs against disengagement from the pintle 12 and may havefree pivotal movement about the said pin as an axis. When it is desiredto remove any one of the positioning blocks for repairs or replacement,it is only necessary to spring the ends 16 of the springs downwardly soas to disengage their extremities from the respective arms 5 whereuponthe arms may be slid out of engagement with the pintle pin 12.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be understoodthat merely by disengaging the ends 16 of the springs 14 from the arms5, the block supported by these arms may 'be instantl disconnected fromthe member 9 which 1s permanently fixed upon the frame or platform ofthe device. Also the block may be readily replaced or another onesubstituted therefor, and while all of the advantages of an accuratehinge joint are obtained, there is no permanent connection between themember 9 and the positioning block. In this case, of course, the springsserve a dual function. Of course, due to the provision of the readilyseparable-hinge connection herein disclosed, any individual positioningblock may be disconnected from the frame or platform 1 and eitherromptly repaired, or a new one may be rea ily substituted therefor, itbeing only necessary, as before stated, to disengage the hookedextremities 16from the arms 5 so that itis not necessary to interruptthe game or shut down the alley for any considerable period of timewhile making repairs. Of course, the springs serve to normally hold theblock in the full line position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and anydownward movement of the blocks with relation to the frame or platform1, as for example to the dotted line position in said figure, will beagainst the tension of the springs.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A hinge support for the positioning member of a pin setting devicecomprising a' hinge member including a pintle, a hinge member pivotallysparably engageable with the pintle, and a spring upon the pintle en'-gageable with the last mentioned hinge memher, when the members areassembled, to swing one member with relation to the other.

and to hold the members against separation'."--.

2. A hinge support for the positioning member of a pm setting devicecomprising a hinge member including a pintle, a huge separablyconnected, and a spring carried by the first mentioned hinge member andhaving an end engageable with the last mentioned hinge member to swingone member with relation to the other and to hold the members againstseparation.

3. A hinge support for the positioning member of a pin setting devicecomprising a hinge member including a pintle, a sprlng coiled about thepintle and having one end engaging the said member, and a second hingemember separably engageable with the said pintle, the said spring havingits other end engageable with the last mentioned hinge member whereby toswing one member with relation to the other and to hold the membersagainst separation.

4. A hinge support for the positioning member of a pin setting devicecomprising a hinge member including a pintle, a'hinge member includingan arm pivotally and separably engageable with the pintle and having ashoulder, and a spring coiled about the said pintle and engaging at oneend against the first mentioned hinge member and at its other endengageable with the said shoulder whereby to hold the hinge membersagainst separation, the spring coact-ing with the members to swing onemember with relation to the other.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN CLAYTON BACKUS. [L 8.]

